CHESAPEAKE, Va. – The City of Chesapeake is working to make all of its polling places accessible to people with disabilities.
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits public organizations from discriminating against people with disabilities in their programs, services and activities.
Public organizations are required to select and use polling places that are accessible. The U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted an ADA compliance review of Chesapeake’s polling locations.
The review showed that many polling places in Chesapeake have architectural barriers that make them inaccessible to voters who use wheelchairs or have mobility impairments.
As part of the settlement agreement, the City of Chesapeake will make temporary and permanent changes to its polling places to make the locations accessible to voters who use wheelchairs or have mobility impairments.
The City may also relocate the polling locations to other accessible locations, if relocating to an accessible polling place can’t be achieved under laws and regulations that comply with title II’s program accessibility requirements.
They will also provide training to poll workers and file reports with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on its compliance.
